How long is residency and what is an internship?

Residency vs. Internship

The question “how long is residency” is one that seems to confuse almost everyone. Also, the idea of “what is a medical internship” is confusing as well. That’s because a medical internship is a completely different animal than a typical internship, say in business, public relations or social work.

Here’s the quick answer to both questions:

What is an Internship?

The first year of a medical residency is called an internship. Essentially, a first year resident is completing their medical internship.

How long is a residency?

Medical residencies last from 3-7 years in total. Most medical residencies are four years long, with surgical residencies being five years long. A neurosurgery residency is the longest, at seven years. Here’s a list of different  residencies and their length:

Thanks for checking out our post about “how long is a residency” and “what is an internship”! We hope it was helpful!

If you have questions about anything pre-med, post below, and we’ll get back to you!

Check out more of our pre-med posts below:

How do I go about choosing a medical specialty?

Will attending a top-tier medical school help me get a top-tier residency match?